The present invention relates to novel alumina compositions and more particularly to improved bayerite/eta alumina compositions that possess a high degree of hydrothermal stability.
Bayerite, which is converted to eta alumina by heating at temperatures of from about 200 to 800.degree. C., have been used in the preparation of various catalytic compositions including hydrocarbon conversion catalyst.
EP 0385246 describes fluid catalytic cracking (FCC) catalysts that contain a bayerite/eta alumina component that improves the performance of FCC in the presence of hydrocarbon feedstocks that contain nickel.
While bayerite/eta alumina exhibits considerable resistance to thermal degradation at elevated temperatures, it has been found that the high temperature hydrothermal (steam) conditions encountered in commercial FCC cracking units tend to deactivate bayerite/eta alumina components over a relatively short period.